She answers countless questions on a daily basis about dogs and cats, but four years ago a client asked Dr. Merrianne Burtch, a veterinarian, about an elephant in the room.

"What do you do when somebody can't afford the care for a pet with a treatable disease or injury?" the person wondered.

The answer commonly is a heartbreaker. Pet owners too often must choose between euthanizing their beloved animal, or surrendering it to the hospital, which then will adopt the dog out to a new family if the pro bono treatment is successful.

Burtch ("Dr. Merrianne" to her clients) envisioned of a way to facilitate happier endings — an obsession that inspired BirchBark Foundation, a 1-year-old nonprofit that provides financial grants to animal owners who are unable to partially or fully cover the cost of their pet's emergency or critical care.

"It's been a longtime dream to find a way to take all of the decision-making out of a situation in which a pet is facing a catastrophic health issue that could be fixed, but the pet owner has no means of paying for the treatment," said the Santa Cruz-based healer. "We came up with the idea for BirchBark, and in March of 2012 we started moving on it."

Thirteen months later, in April 2013, the good doctor and her volunteer executive director, Bunny Tavares, began lifting the financial burdens from qualified pet owners and restoring ailing animals to better health.

So far, four dogs from Monterey County have been saved by BirchBark Foundation, which has forged a unique relationship with more than 20 area veterinary hospitals.

Each hospital has agreed to discount its treatment by 25 percent. The pet owner also pays up to 25percent, and BirchBark picks up the rest of the tab.

To qualify for help, pet owners must first prove they're in need by applying for CareCredit, a low-interest, long-term-pay credit card that is available through most veterinary hospitals. If they are approved by CareCredit, they're not eligible for funds from BirchBark. If CareCredit turns them down, BirchBark takes a deeper look, examining the pet owner's tax return from the previous year, along with a couple of months of bank statements.

"Once we get all of that clarified, we deal with the medical issues of the pet," Tavares explained. "It has to be a catastrophic or life-threatening illness or condition, and there has to be a good prognosis — so, unfortunately, a 14-year-old dog with cancer probably isn't going to get funded."

Among those animals that have been funded since the official launch of the organization was Gus, an 8-year-old pitbull that survived Hurricane Katrina, then was adopted by a Monterey resident with Muscular Dystrophy who uses a wheelchair.

"Fran, the woman who adopted Gus, also supports a 19-year-old son with Muscular Dystrophy, and her disability checks are her only income," Tavares said. "Gus had a respiratory illness that just wouldn't heal, but Fran couldn't afford the diagnostic tests to figure out exactly what was wrong."

BirchBark and one of its affiliated vets came to the rescue, determining that the dog had a heart condition that could be kept under control with medication.

"We were able to fund the diagnostics and provide three months of medication for the dog, so Fran and Gus are happy, and healthy, and together."

Chloe, a 3½-year-old labrador mix, fell off a cliff at Garland Ranch Park, severely injuring both of her front legs. BirchBark paid for the surgery..

Lacie, a 2½-year-old Shih Tzu owned by Castroville fieldworkers, was run over by a truck and suffered fractures to both sides of her pelvis. A vet paid 25percent of the bill, and BirchBark picked up the rest.

The organization is funded entirely through private donations, which is where Tavares becomes a major player.

"My background is in fundraising, marketing and communications. I've worked in the nonprofit universe for about 35 years, mostly in the public-broadcasting arena," she said. "One day I took my dog, Patti, to see Dr. Merrianne for a check-up, and she said, 'You know, I have this dream ... and I think you can help me.' She knew my background and she knew how strongly I feel about animals, and I was excited to become a part of it."

Now a year old, BirchBark becomes eligible to apply for grants and hopefully broaden its reach, but, for the meantime, the organization relies entirely on the generosity of private donors.

"We've lost (seven) dogs during our 20 years of marriage, and euthanization never gets any easier," said Leslie Sonne, a longtime public safety officer in Monterey County. "When Dr. Merrianne asked (husband) Peter and me about supporting the foundation, we were more than happy to help. We're lucky that we've never had to make a decision between treating a beloved animal or paying our rent, but we also know others aren't so fortunate."

In addition to providing financial assistance to pet owners, BirchBark will offer regular blogs on its website to educate people about caring for their dogs and cats. Aviary and equine blogs also are in the works, Tavares said.

"What we need right now are donations, and we also could use volunteers," said the executive director. "I have a great need right now for administrative help — people to type, do data entry, mailings ... that type of thing."

Anyone interested in making a donation, volunteering, or learning more about BirchBark Foundation is encouraged to visit the website at www.birchbarkfoundation.org or contact Bunny Tavares at 462-6004.